POLITICS: Bush Seeks $950 Million for Tsunami Aid

President George Bush said he will ask Congress for $950 millions to support victims of the December Tsunami in Asia. This would increase the current contribution of $350 million by $600 million more. The increase will make the United States the largest contributer to Tsunami Aid relief, topping the $810 million pledged by Australia.



It's encouraging to see that the President of the United States has a big heart and wants to give more aid to the tsunami stricken regions of Asia, however combining it with the request for the $80 billion for military costs in Iraq and Afghanistan seems to be questionable. Perhaps by combining the two entirely separate efforts the President hopes to have his requests approved without too many question.

I read an interesting article today in the local paper. A minister had just returned from over there (he was there for a week in the last part of January). He was in Thailand. He states that there are mountains of donated items that the people really can't use. One thing in particular struck him that there were 1000's of hair dryers. He said, the people have electricity, but when there is nothing left around you and death in the air, fixing your hair is last on the list. So this heap of blow dryers are sitting there.

Here's what happened, according to this preacher, in Thailand. The King's nephew (I think that's right) died in the tsunami, so he immediately was personally touched by the horrific loss of life. From this personal experience, the king has been very generous to any and all who have lost their homes. BUT, there is this mass of humanity whose homes are still there. Now, these homes are gutted, entire sections missing, and by even the lowest standards we could come up with - uninhabitable. BUT, if you have a structure remaining, there is no assistance for you. According to this minister, no one is starving (I believe there are places even those with a "structure" can get sustenance, but that's it). And you have to remember, these people's livelihoods were washed away.

The minister's message was - they need MONEY. The typical worker salary in this area was $25 USD per week. He had about $3500 on him when they went over. At one point in their visit, they came to this one refugee camp, and for some reason he was exceptionally touched by the people in this camp. They gave each of the 50 families a week's pay ($25)...and the people were so overjoyed because this meant they could go buy the very basics that we take for granted - toothpaste, hygienic products, and items their children needed.

I hope the aide is being used appropriately. Because if these desperate people end up with 100,000 blow dryers, we're going to have to send computers so they can sell them on ebay!

[edit on 2-9-2005 by Valhall]

stuff like that always seems to happen after a disaster. People will send canned foods but no can openers.

I'm just glad to see that

About $35 million would go to help develop an Indian Ocean early warning system that would alert citizens not only to earthquakes and tsunamis but to typhoons, and to improve the U.S. early warning system

where is this money coming from?

Yeah, well if you let that money get mixed with pentagon money, it will fall into a black hole and never get anywhere near Asia unless Rumsfield can gain a foothold in some imperialistic way.